Deadly Is the Night

by Dusty Richards

  The bishop nodded, looking somberly at them. “I know who carried that watch. Is he your suspect?”

  Chet and Knowles both nodded.

  “Sir, we think if we arrest him, you could help us convince his wives to testify that he came home bloody or he brought bloody clothes home after one of the murders.”

  “You are certain your evidence points to him?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The bishop shook his head. “Well I know this from before. Emily was his first wife. Her disappearance in Utah made some people in Salt Lake, ten years ago, suspect he was involved in her disappearance. If that ring was not on her finger, then she didn’t disappear with her ring on, did she?”

  “They never found her body?”

  “No trace of her. I have thought for years she might have run away. That ring is grim truth that she didn’t. Yes, I will speak to his wives. We know they have lived under his thumb for years. If he is guilty and they knew they could escape his hold, they might testify.”

  Knowles nodded. “Then I will arrest him and charge him with murder.”

  “He may hire some big lawyers?”

  “Without a doubt. But with good evidence and, hopefully, testimony from the wives he will be found guilty.”

  “Amen. Why would anyone do such a horrible thing?” The bishop shook his head.

  “He could think God empowered him to do it.”

  “I guess so. But your hunch, finding that ring from his dead wife, really makes me sick. If people had checked more and found out what really happened to her, we’d never have had this horrific disaster here.”

  Knowles nodded. They stood up and shook his hands.

  Chet and the deputy rode over to Jennings’s house, hitched their horses at the yard gate, and went to the front door. They knocked. It took a long time for a woman with gray-streaked hair to answer.

  “We need to talk to Jim Jennings.”

  “What for?”

  “The matter is with him. Is he here?”

  “No.”

  “Stand aside.”

  “I won’t.”

  Knowles took her by the shoulders and moved her aside. “Better tell us where he is at.”

  Tears began to spill down her face. “He said not to.”

  “Where?” He shook her.

  She glanced at the staircase. “Up there. May God protect me.”

  “He will,” Knowles said. “Better draw your gun, Chet.”

  He nodded and did so, then moved a little to the right as they started up the staircase. At any minute he expected a door to open, a handgun to stick out belching lead, fire, and smoke.

  “I am unarmed. My hands are high. Knowles, your enforcing federal law about polygamy will end your career in law enforcement I promise you.” Jennings was standing at the top of the stairs.

  “James Jennings, my warrant is for the murder of the Forester family.” Knowles handcuffed him. “Now march downstairs.”

  “Murder? I never murdered anyone.”

  Chet knew Knowles could not resist his next words. “Your late wife Emily may finally rest in her lonely grave when you hang for her murder.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “The ring you removed from Emily’s finger when you put her in her grave.”

  “Huh? I never killed Emily.”

  “No, you killed her and removed her ring at the burial site in Utah.”

  “Damn you. She was my wife. I loved her.”

  “You killed her and then knew they’d hang you, so you went looking for a shallow grave to put her in but you saved her ring.”

  Jennings looked around. “Where are we going?”

  “We are walking to the jail. You will be transferred to Holbrook and then to the Preskitt court. There is no bond for murder.”

  “But my business; who will run it?”

  “You won’t need to worry. You won’t see the outside of prison except on your walk to the gallows.”

  “You can’t prove I killed anyone.”

  On their way to the jail Knowles slowed and turned toward Jennings. “Where are the bloody clothes you brought home after the murders?” he asked.

  “Who told you that?”

  “Your wives.”

  “My wives told you nothing.”

  “They will. I am taking their testimony after I put you in the cell.”

  “Where did you bury Emily in Utah?” Chet asked him.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “We have the ring that you left in bloody clothes you burned at the Forester place. Where did you plant her? You said she ran off and left you. She never lived to run away. You caught her and killed her and took that ring off her finger and didn’t dare use it because your next wife would know it was hers.”

  “Liars!”

  “Show him the evidence,” Chet said, shoving him into the sheriff’s office and toward the cell.

  “You can’t prove that.”

  “It has her name inside it.”

  “I want a lawyer?”

  Knowles unlocked the cuffs.

  Chet made him widen his stance and found a derringer strapped to his leg. Then he took a large knife, in a scabbard, from behind his back and tossed it aside.

  “You cut Mrs. Forester’s throat with that after you used her?”

  “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

  Knowles shoved Jennings into the cell, then shook his head. “I guess I am getting stupid after all this time.”

  Chet put his hand on the man’s shoulder. “No you are a patient man who has struggled to do the impossible. I am going to go to supper with Edie. We will share guarding the jail. I will send one of my men back after we eat, and then we will change shifts again tonight.”

  “Thanks.”

  He lowered his voice. “We need to keep pushing him about his crimes so we can break him and make him confess.”

  Knowles nodded. “Thomas is coming in, so when he does, I will go with the bishop to get the testimony from his wives.”

  Chet nodded. “We can support him. Good luck. That sister, who answered the door, will be tough.”

  “I know all about that. I spent nine months trying to solve this and in less than a week you turned this case around. I heard lots about you, Chet Byrnes. I can see now that many were damn lies. You ever need help you can sure call on me. I’d be proud to help you.”

  “Oh, you did lots of work and the rest we did together.”

  “Thanks.”

  That evening they told Edie all about finding the ring and watch. Chet added what the bishop said about the ring and swore her to secrecy.

  “I guess now I’ll lose my boarders?”

  “We need to get back to Preskitt, Edie. I imagine someone else will need us to help them at some time.”

  “I have heard so much about your home, your wife, and your life I feel like I am part of the family, along with these two men that belong with you. Not many men would trust his life to two young men from Mexico. I know why you do that. You trust them and you know the dedication they have for you. They are not just your bodyguards. You three men are brothers, and thank God for you looking over all the God-fearing people in the territory.”

  Chet kissed her forehead and hugged her. “The worry, fear, and distress is over and we so appreciate all the little things you did for us while we were here.”

  “Oh, Chet, tell your wife from all of us, we so appreciate her sharing you with us to find this madman.”

  “I will, Edie. You know where we live if you ever need us again. We will come riding.”

  “It has been a very exciting time in a sleepy town to have three U.S. marshals staying with me. I guess my reputation is safe.”

  “Oh, yes. Three married men.”

  “Those ladies have lots to look forward to upon your return to them. I will envy them. My husband would go on trips for the church to help somewhere, and I always thanked God when I saw him riding up the lane and we could renew
our love and life.”

  “Edie, we sure thank you. I am going to pay you for our board and room. We’d have had to pay for a hotel and café otherwise. We get our expenses paid for by the marshal service. What you do with the money is your business.”

  “I had no plans to charge you. I will find someone needy to give to.”

  “Thanks. Good night, Edie.”

  “Good night, my friends, and thanks for bringing some sunshine into my life. I’ll have breakfast at six so you can get an early start.” A knock sounded from the door. “I’ll go see; it may be for you.”

  They waited in the room and when Chet saw the deputy with his hat in his hand, he knew something was wrong.

  “I have some news. Thomas and I stepped out of the jail tonight to get a bite to eat. Jennings did not act strange or say anything to make us think something was going to happen. He used a blanket for a noose and strangled himself to death. Sure was a helluva way to die.”

  “I am sorry that you had to go through all this, Knowles.”

  “Chet, I have to admit I was worried about arresting him. But we had him by the evidence. I know it will leave some people thinking we may have arrested the wrong man, but I want to tell you his second wife Sarah told the bishop and me, tonight, that he came home twice in bloody clothing around the time of the murders. His first suit coat disappeared after the Foresters were murdered. We had the right man. He knew it and took his life.”

  Chet had a hard time falling asleep. Criminals upset him, but few of them killed people because they believed their victims were not religious enough in the eyes of God to live. Bad thing to ever happen . . .

  CHAPTER 19

  They pushed hard and by noon on the second day made Holbrook. Winter let go a little but the calendar said there was still some time left. They stopped and told the new deputy, Joe McCarthy, about the Jennings situation. He agreed it was good to have it settled. Joe had not heard anything about his predecessor’s whereabouts. He told Chet he felt Randall Cates was GTT. In other words—Gone to Texas.

  The next stop was three days later at Windmill Ranch. Susie and Sarge, along with their crew, sat around the fireplace and Chet told them a less grizzly story about the murders and how they eventually found the evidence. Everyone shook their heads and a few said they should have hung him right away.

  “Oh, we need to present a better picture than that. People back east feel we are all as mad as Jennings. We need law and order to prevail if we ever want to become a state.”

  Later he and Susie spoke privately in the kitchen.

  “Chet, does anyone really know what all you do for the territory?” she asked.

  He shook his head. “That doesn’t matter. I have ranches to run, and people count on us to provide them a life.”

  She shook her head and hugged him. “Brother, I shudder every time I hear that you and your men have ridden somewhere to stop crime or arrest an outlaw gang.”

  She put her finger on his lips to silence his protest. “You don’t have to tell me someone has to do it. But as far as I am concerned, they need to get someone else besides my brother to do their calling for help.”

  The next morning, he kissed her forehead good-bye, picked up her son, Erwin, and told him to take good care of his momma. He’d noticed the close relationship the toddler had with Sarge, but he sure looked like his real father. Mounted on his roan horse he waved good-bye to Susie, and his three-man outfit, along with their packhorses, rode for the Verde Ranch.

  Rhea and Adam met them at the front door of the big house. Jesus told her that he and Miguel would put up the horses and be back.

  She hugged him, and with Adam in his arms they went inside the house. The boy jabbering about some lamb he rode and Rhea filling him in on the latest ranch news. Almost home . . .

  Tom came over and had to hear the stories. Asked about his daughter and son-in-law. Chet gave him a good report on them. Nothing wrong at the Verde River Ranch. Rhea made them supper and they slept, overnight, in the big house. Up at dawn, they rode up the mountain and by mid-morning they were ringing the schoolhouse bell. The boss was back and everyone hurried out to welcome him home.

  Lisa came on the run for her husband. They hitched a team to the buckboard to take Jesus to his wife Anita who was waiting in town. Smiling, and looking great to Chet, his wife came to hug and greet him.

  “Oh.” She swept a curl back from her face. “Good to have you back, big man.”

  Monica was on the back porch, arms folded, and when he waved she shook her head and went back inside.

  Chet shook Raphael’s hand and answered him when he asked how the new man was working out.

  “Super. He’s learning the way fast. We had lots of work to do and many miles to cover, and Miguel did very well. I will tell you more about it and how we solved all the problems.”

  Chet thanked everyone still standing around, told them he was glad to be back at the ranch, and for God to bless them all. Then hand in hand he went into the house.

  “How was the trip?”

  “Long and tough, but we solved the crimes at both places. They were two different crimes. One at Holbrook was a neighbor killed a man for his wealth and ranch. At Snow Flake the murderer was one of them and he committed suicide after we arrested him. Both were very black crimes and hard to understand. One stole and killed, and the other thought God had sent him to kill less religious people. With the second, we found that he probably murdered his first wife years earlier in Utah. If that crime had been solved back then he’d not had a chance to murder four other families.”

  “I am sure glad you are home.”

  “Liz, I am, too. Anything wrong?”

  “Lands no. I simply missed you.” She squeezed his arm.

  “I did, too. I’ll tell you more after a while. No problems here?”

  She threw her head back and laughed. “Nothing that you can’t solve later.”

  “Good. I can do that. How is Cary doing?”

  “Fine. She writes she is helping teach children down there, found that she can teach. Last Saturday, for the first time, she attended a dance and young men danced her feet off. None of them had danced much with her before at other dances, so she felt she was now being accepted back in the community.”

  “We figured she’d recover. Sounds good, doesn’t it?”

  “You stopped and saw Adam. How is he doing?”

  “Fine. He talked about riding sheep the whole time. Rhea is raising him right, I guess. No. I know it. She tries hard and of course he is her pride and joy.”

  “Did you ever think maybe we should have both your boys together, here, at the ranch?”

  “I say no. In the first place, you’d break both women’s hearts. Second, you’d be tied down and couldn’t do all the things you get done with the help, or come riding with me.”

  “Can we can talk about it more, later?”

  He agreed. He realized she said this out of the feeling of guilt that she might be neglecting him not having the boys there all the time. Shame they lost the baby, but there was nothing anyone could have done about that. The boys were fine where they were.

  “Well, stranger, I see the cat came back,” Monica said, putting a plate of food before him.

  “Yes, ma’am, how are you?”

  “My usual self.”

  “No big cowboy came to court you while I was gone?”

  “One big cowboy is enough. I damn sure don’t need another.”

  Liz put in, “We share you. She gets to feed you and I get to do the rest.”

  “You ladies are the diamonds in my life. You both sparkle.”

  “Eat your food before it gets cold. This is a lonely house when you aren’t here to upset it. I am as always glad when you tromp back here from God knows where and she doesn’t have to worry about you being shot or hurt on your travels.”

  “Thanks, Monica. I had Susie tell me what to do for years, and you fit her shoes just fine. By the way, I stopped and saw her, Erwin, an
d Sarge coming and going. They are doing great. Tom’s daughter, Sandy, and Cody are making it fine with Sarge herding cattle to New Mexico. Don’t ever tell anyone, but Erwin really looks like his father. He and Sarge are real close buddies, but I could not get over the resemblance.”

  “You look tired,” Liz said. “After lunch why don’t you take a siesta? There is nothing pressing on your desk.”

  “Sounds good. Your food is still the best, Monica.”

  Good to be home, too, that was for sure . . .

  CHAPTER 20

  Home. For a week they had some light snow, nothing the sun wouldn’t melt by noon the next day. He’d ordered mowers for all his ranches and Ben Ivor promised him he’d do all he could to get them there. Kathrin, Ben’s wife, was there with both of their small children. They chatted a bit before she ran off with them to do something.

  Ben shook his head. “I never dreamed at forty I’d have a new family. I’m so glad you found her, that you saw the saving graces that woman has. Chet, my business exceeds most mercantile stores in the territory thanks to people like you. And I thank God every night for you, it, her, and the kids.”

  “Ben, you treat everyone of your customers like family. She is the star in your crown, and it is no shame for a man to have a lovely wife and children.”

  “She said she never had any life before she married me.”

  “God did that, huh?”

  “He must have. My first wife and I never had a child. Come to think of it, she did lose some. I hate to think bad of her, but that might have been intentional.”

  “You did good this time.”

  “I hope I can get all this mower gear for you by haying time.”

  “All you can do is try, Ben. I trust you.”

  “If I can’t, I might be able to get some used equipment to get you by on.”

  “We have to do what we have to do. Thanks.”

  He found Bo was his usual smiling self when he caught him in the land office next. “I found that nephew of yours, Ty, some more land out there.”

  “Worth the money?”

  “I think so. It has an artesian well to water twenty acres of alfalfa. The whole eighty is close to him and costs eight hundred dollars.”